


Are We Obsidian?

by SeventhStrife



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Andrea Rhodea Knows All, Brothels, Cloud In Lingerie, Denial of Feelings, Don't copy to another site, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Mentioned Angeal Hewley, Multi, Not Crisis Core (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Secret Identity, Sephiroth's (Compilation of FFVII) Terrible Childhood, Sex Work, Smut, Threesome - M/M/M, Wall Market (Compilation of FFVII), Zack Fair Being Zack Fair, as a treat, blink and you miss it angst, like just a LITTLE angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:00:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25642444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeventhStrife/pseuds/SeventhStrife
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple, fun night out. Blow off some steam, have a good time, and forget the den of monsters that waited for them at Shin-Ra HQ.But then they went to the Honeybee Inn. Andthenthey met Aurous.
Relationships: Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Sephiroth/Cloud Strife
Comments: 42
Kudos: 98
Collections: FF7 Fanworks Exchange '20





	1. Sephiroth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yursulily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yursulily/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're looking at the length, Yursulily, and thinking, 'What the hell?' Just know—me too. Me too.
> 
> LOL. I hope you enjoy this humble entry and attempt to fill your requests! I actually had a lot of fun writing for your prompts because they gave me such freedom! But then I got in over my head writing for several different prompts at once and, as you can see, I have no self control. ಥ_ಥ 
> 
> Please enjoy.

Zack and Sephiroth stood at the entrance of Wall Market. Zack had his fists on his hips and he took a deep pull of the night air, grinning.

"Get a whiff of that, Sephiroth! _Adventure,_ that's what that is! I can already tell tonight's gonna be one for the history books."

"Get your chocobos here, chocobos for rent right over here!" A stablehand was shouting as loud as he could, waving enthusiastically to passerby. "Each rental comes with a ten percent discount at Madame M's massage parlor, where the endings are always happy—Or so they say, _ho ho!"_

Sephiroth, arms crossed, slowly rolled his head to Zack and fixed him with a Look. To his credit, Zack valiantly kept his smile.

"Give it a chance!"

Bright lights, garish people, and far too much yelling for his tastes; that's what Sephiroth's first impression of Wall Market was. Zack, at least, seemed to be having a good time. As SOLDIERs, they didn't have the luxury of enjoying an honest vacation and this was likely the closest he would get. Zack certainly _looked_ like a tourist, chatting up every vendor and shop owner, fluttering like a moth to flame to the nearest attraction. Sephiroth didn't expect to enjoy his time here but he'd be willing to endure it if it kept that smile on Zack's face just a little longer.

Neither of them had been given cause for smiling much these days.

Even still, after the fifth store they'd left, Zack holding a new sword and Sephiroth with one surprisingly well-developed materia, he _had_ to ask—

"Did you bring me here because your under-plate friend was busy?"

Zack sputtered, turning to face Sephiroth with a flustered look on his face. "I wouldn't bring _Aerith_ here!" Zack was stiff with discomfort. "And we are _not_ telling her, got it?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "Of course." Not that he'd ever _met_ Aerith or would in the future. Aside from some...colorful characters, Sephiroth didn't see what the big deal was.

At first.

Zack was certainly new to the area, but he seemed to have a goal in mind. They'd only spent a few hours walking around when they began to hear _stirrings._

There was suddenly more talk, ranging from excited whispering to loud yelling, people walking by or rushing, expressions ranging from ecstatic to guilty—and all of them headed towards the same place. Trained as they were, they picked up on these changes that threaded throughout the market immediately and Zack perked up like the puppy that was once his namesake.

"Oh, is it starting? Dang, I wanted to see the coliseum." Zack took a few jogging steps away, waving quickly. "Come on, Sephiroth, we gotta hurry or we won't get in!"

Sephiroth didn't bother asking; he just followed Zack—as well as the crowd—and resigned himself to more Wall Market debauchery.

They squeezed between narrow alleys, darted across rooftop parties in full swing, shuffled across narrow stairways wedged in every space that could reasonably hold them, until, at last, the air opened up and the main attraction made itself immediately apparent.

_THE HONEYBEE INN_

Sephiroth stared up at the building, trying very hard not to judge it harshly. It was difficult. Perhaps because of the giant, neon honeybee—girls?—that glowed searingly bright over the building, their large, cherubic faces looming over the crowd. 

The pink one, in particular, seemed to be looking down on him, silently judging, asking Sephiroth what he'd done in life to wind up here. He wanted to know the same thing.

"Aw, man, this line is crazy!"

He was right. It was a line towards the entrance of the building but had quickly devolved into a large crowd the further from the building it got. Most people seemed accepting that they weren't getting in, but not discouraged. From what Sephiroth couldn't help but overhear, many patrons were just hoping for a glimpse of a Honeybee or two. Sephiroth didn't understand the appeal.

"Excuse me, sirs?"

Sephiroth and Zack both turned around, surprised to see a formally-dressed young man waiting for them, a perfect customer service smile on his lips. He wore slacks and a tie and a yellow blazer.

The stranger held his arm out in a controlled gesture towards the entrance.

"My employer has given me express permission to allow you admittance to tonight's performance."

"Really?" Sephiroth asked. That was _awfully_ convenient... "And why is that?"

"It's not my place to question my employer's decisions." Another genial smile. "If you'll follow me, gentlemen?"

The man walked away briskly and Zack and Sephiroth shared a look. Zack shrugged. Sephiroth glanced back up at the sign and it's giant bumblebee girls and repressed a grimace. The things he put up with in the name of friendship. Somewhere, somehow, Angeal was laughing at him, he knew it.

Inside, Sephiroth faced a conflict. On one hand, he wanted to revise his earlier opinion of the Honeybee Inn; from its lush carpeting, clear sound-proofing, and tasteful yet immaculate decorations, this was clearly an establishment that sought to create an _actual_ atmosphere, something Sephiroth could appreciate. 

On the other hand, a girl walked by him dressed as an _insect._ An insect that was allergic to clothes. Sephiroth took her in at a glance and looked back at Zack.

"Did you bring me to a strip club?"

Zack laughed, loud and full-bodied, with his head thrown back. He didn't answer, just led the way past the velvet curtain and left Sephiroth with no other choice but to follow.

The room opened up into a large, luxurious lounge with a gold statue of the building's namesake in the center. Everything in the room screamed opulence, from the plush carpet to the tufted padding on the walls, all the way to the chic, glittering fixtures and expensive lighting. Several doors lined the room, all with small plaques that labeled them clearly. One room was labeled as the _' &$#% Room'._ Sephiroth decided he was better off not knowing.

They were led past the lounge area and to a pair of large, immaculate oak doors lined with gold accents. 

"Welcome, gentleman," their escort said, "To the premier nightclub experience and heart of our establishment, the Honeybee Hive!"

If the rooms leading here were extravagant, the nightclub was from another _world._

Shaped in a hexagon, the room was designed in sleek blacks everywhere he looked, the furniture, the ceiling, the tables and the bar. Flecks of gold sparkled in the floor and matched the stage, the only spot of real brightness, waxed to a shining finish that _demanded_ attention. Soft golden lights were embedded in the wall in hexagons as well, a compliment to the golden chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, slowly rotating to better catch the light in each one of its crystals. Scantily clad honeybee girls threaded through a room packed tight, handing out long flutes of bubbling champagne and the crowd, seated and standing, cheering and laughing, pulsed with an electric energy that could be felt in the very air.

It was certainly a sight to behold, and Zack seemed to agree.

He whistled low, impressed. _"Wow._ Looks like Kunself was right, I don't think there's anywhere on Gaia quite like this."

Sephiroth, who was quite traveled, was inclined to agree.

They were led further into the room, right to a large, empty plush couch situated before center stage. Their escort plucked up the small placard that read _VIP_ and gestured. 

"Is there anything I can get you, sirs? Refreshments, perhaps?"

"I'd take a drink." When they both looked at Sephiroth he held up a hand, uninterested. "Just one for me, then. Thanks!"

"Certainly."

It was only seconds before more Honeybee girls descended on them, offering drinks and finger foods, taking Sephiroth's abstinence as some sort of challenge, apparently. Luckily, they were interrupted by an incredible fanfare breaking out.

A handsome, leather-clad man appeared on the stage amid a cloud of smoke. The crowd applauded him thunderously.

He bowed and rose with a flourish, a mic in hand. 

"Thank you ladies and gentlemen and welcome! To the Honeybee Inn!" More deafening applause and cheering. "As you may know, I am your host and connoisseur of excellence, Andrea Rhodea! Please; eat, drink, and feast your eyes upon the pinnacle of beauty and talent, the likes of which shall never be replicated here nor anywhere else on the planet! Release your inhibitions and unlock your true potential tonight. I encourage you to do so, for here we embrace each new experience as if it may be our last!"

More smoke erupted, as well as gold and silver confetti, and then the stage burst to life as Honeybees, male and female alike, took to the stage, dancing and twirling and jumping, all of them wearing happy smiles, immaculate in both their appearance and movements.

Sephiroth was impressed despite himself. Entertainment, especially of the stage variety, had been more to Genesis' taste. But even he, someone who didn't waste much time on idle entertainment, had to admit that there was something to be said for a well-coordinated performance. He supposed the focus was probably the flashing lights and bared skin, but he was more taken in by the skill of the dancers and the time and effort that must have gone into creating an exciting, well-executed performance.

He still declined any food or drink, but he was surprisingly...enjoying himself. It must have shown, inexplicably, to Zack at least, because after the first show he thumped Sephiroth on the back, beaming.

"Totally worth it now, right?"

"Hmph." Sephiroth looked askance but knew he hadn't hidden his smirk quick enough. "It's not intolerable."

Beside him, Zack pumped his fist in victory. _"Yes!"_

Sephiroth smothered another smile and leaned back in his seat. The music was swelling; another performance was starting.

He lost track of time after that. Between the loud music, Zack shouting next to him, and the general atmosphere of excitement and debauchery, it wasn't an environment geared towards observing any sort of curfew, that was certain. Zack seemed to be having a blast, enraptured with each new act on the stage and chatting up the workers in between each show. Sephiroth could see that although Zack was being his usual, friendly self, he was certain to break more than a few hearts by the time they left. He still was unsure about the exact nature of these Honeybee employees but hoped one of them could catch Zack's eye, at least for the night. While Sephiroth was content enough with VR missions and forcing the science department to find new and creative ways to challenge him, he acknowledged that Zack didn't find the same sort of catharsis in fighting as he did. Zack deserved a night of stress relief. 

After several impressive performances, Andrea took to the stage again, his smile confident and sly, as if he knew an incredible secret and was still deciding if he wanted to share it.

"How are we finding the festivities this evening? Have my honeybees kept you entertained?"

Zack whooped loudly with the rest of the crowd and Sephiroth couldn't help smiling a little. Andrea nodded in approval.

"I'm certainly glad to hear it because the night is young yet. As you all know, we have a special performer here, one so exclusive and rare that even I can not promise the show until the very night of."

A ripple of palpable excitement passed through the crowd. Sephiroth and Zack shared a look, both of them curious. After what they'd already seen, it was hard to imagine the Honeybee Inn had anything more grandiose to show them. 

Andrea outright smirked this time and Zack and Sephiroth both straightened slightly when he walked to the edge of the stage and made eye contact with both of them. He winked.

"Many of you already know who I'm talking about, but for the newcomers here I should warn you that this little bee is a shy one." Andrea swept his arm in a wide arc, encompassing the crowd. "Can we hear some encouragement from our adoring fans?"

It sounded like a _riot_ had erupted in the nightclub. Everyone was clapping and cheering or slapping the table or stomping. Zack, caught up in the energy, stuck his thumb and middle finger in his mouth and gave a loud, piercing whistle. Andrea shot Sephiroth a rather straight look, so he clapped.

Andrea looked somewhere off to the side and his lips quirked up to one side in a sly smile. 

"It seems your pleas have been answered," Andrea announced with a flourish. He held an arm up high. "Please, everyone, give a warm welcome to the crowning gem of the Honeybee Inn! AUROUS!"

The lights cut out. Sephiroth forced himself to relax, knowing it was part of the performance and not a prelude to attack. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zack doing the same.

A small, soft light slowly pierced through the darkness at center stage, illuminating swirls and eddies of fog, and then Sephiroth found all thoughts immediately wiped from his mind.

For there, standing amidst a carpet of bulbous smoke, stood an angel.

His face was upturned and the light washed over his fair features like sunlight. Flawless pale skin stretched over a lithe, toned body, and muscled arms and thighs were exposed in deep cuts of the gauzy golden fabric that he wore, fabric that swirled and draped around him to create an effect that was otherworldly, like a creature of light given form. Slowly, he lowered his head to face the crowd. Soft, rich blond hair fell in choppy waves around his face and over his shoulders and Sephiroth could see the way his chest expanded on a deep breath. Through the high slits in his dress, he revealed startlingly high gold heels, strappy ones that laced nearly to his knees. His lips were a glossy, pouty pink.

No one made a sound, all of them held in this creature's sway, enclosed without hope of escaping the intimate bubble he'd created. Then he opened a pair of electric, piercing blue eyes, as deep a blue as the Kalm sea.

The music was slow. Pulses of bass and threads of an orchestra created a somber, intense atmosphere, far removed from the gaudiness and glitz of everything Sephiroth had seen so far. Aurous seemed to be letting the music move _through_ him, swaying from side to side, arms swinging like pendulums as the sleeves of his dress fluttered in his wake like ribbons of gold.

Soon, the bass increased, the music swelled, and so too did the speed of the dancer. Aurous moved his body in increasingly sensual movements, tossing his head from side to side, elongating his steps, letting his fingertips linger over his neck and waist, dragging his hands up his body as he moved. 

Sephiroth couldn't stop staring, enraptured despite himself. Never, in a hundred years, would he have expected to encounter someone so beautiful and so...striking in _Wall Market_ of all places. He wanted to spare a glance at Zack, curious if he was faring any better, but he didn't _dare_ tear his eyes away for a single second.

Long glittering strings of crystal slowly lowered from the ceiling and a kaleidoscope of light droplets sparkled across the room. Aurous weaved through and around them and peeked out into the crowd, shy yet mischievous. He seemed like he was trying to keep himself concealed amongst the jewels as much as he was peeking through them to see the audience in turn. He weaved in a slow circle around the stage this way, his body dipping in time with the music, and made his way back to the center just as a bar rose from center-stage, at least three inches thick and completely clear.

Aurous circled the pole and slowly ran the fingers of one hand up it, grazing it with a curious, light touch. Then, with a sudden drop in the music, he grasped it tightly.

The stage _exploded._ The soft, dreamy atmosphere was immediately wiped away as golden spotlights illuminated the stage and dancers twirled onto the scene, outfits golden to compliment Aurous's—short and sparkling. Gossamer wings adorned the men and women's backs and the women held ribbon sticks as they spun into place, letting them stream behind them.

Aurous himself swept to the front of the pole, grasping it overhead and sinking to the ground with one leg outstretched, showing a tantalizing amount of skin through the slit. He glanced up and his pink tongue slowly ran over his upper lip.

Sephiroth stopped _breathing._

No other performance even came _close_ to what Sephiroth witnessed on that stage. The entire act seemed elevated somehow, capturing an energy that was both playful and graceful. The exuberant and flashy skits the honeybees had been entertaining them with all night were now transformed into something elegant and understated, full of emotion instead of pizazz, the couples meeting in fleeting touches and falling away like waves lapping at the shore—though none were as arresting as Aurous, weaving between them all as if he were looking for just that one person who could both capture him and keep him, only to be let down again and again.

The performance came to an end when the music began to slow in tempo, creeping to a close with only the soft melody of piano keys. The honeybees twirled off stage, only to leave Aurous. Aurous, who danced through the crystals like they were rainfall, head upturned, eyes closed. He drew to the edge of the stage, close enough that Sephiroth could see the shimmer of glitter on his exposed shoulders, could see the sheen of sweat on his skin. 

Aurous slowly sank to one knee, hands outstretched and palms upturned, bowing. Those bright blue eyes opened just a bit, and he peeked up, straight at Sephiroth and Zack. 

Sephiroth sucked in a quiet breath and he heard Zack do much the same beside him. 

Aurous's eyes dropped in the same instant, but Sephiroth didn't miss the barest tug of a smile before Aurous tucked that away, too.

The moment broke and thunderous applause burst out, not to mention more than a few cries for an encore or impassioned declarations of love and devotion. Andrea swept onto the stage with an air of proud satisfaction and took Aurous's hand in his own, raising them both high. Together, they bowed to the audience.

Sephiroth clapped, uncaring of maintaining an aloof image. Aurous had more than earned his recognition. Zack was standing and clapping fast enough for his hands to look like gloved blurs. His smile was wide and his eyes were bright with excitement.

"Yet another stunning performance from our lovely Aurous!" More cheers and applause answered him. Andrea continued his praise, dropping Aurous's hands so he could place the tips of his fingers beneath Aurous's chin. "All of Gaia could be scoured and even still, a finer rose could never be found."

Aurous looked down demurely, but that slight smile tugged on his lips again. He faced the audience one last time, curtsied, and disappeared behind the stage, ignoring the cries of his adoring fans, begging for one last performance.

Andrea faced the crowd once more. "As consolation for only this brief glimpse of our most coveted bee, the next round shall be on me!"

Fanfare broke out and the usual Honeybee routine began again, upbeat, jazzy music trumpeting loudly as more bees took the stage in their usual costume, smiling and spinning and dazzling all over again. More bees worked the crowd, offering thin-stemmed cocktails and the ravenous, desperate energy of the crowd dialed back to something a little more manageable—although the air of disappointment was not quick to depart. 

Zack fell back onto the couch with a sigh and for a moment they just stared at each other, awe still tinging their expressions to some degree. After a moment, Zack broke out into laughter and even Sephiroth chuckled. 

"That...that sure was something," Zack finally said lamely. The wry quirk to his lips acknowledged how much of an understatement that was. Sephiroth inclined his head, arms crossed.

"Indeed it was."

"Gentlemen." 

Andrea Rhodea approached their couch, his smile both smug and coy. As he drew close he leaned forward on the plush armrest of the seat, fingers digging into the fabric.

"How did you find the performance? Adequate, I hope?" False modesty dripped from his tone. 

Zack didn't call him out on it. "The whole thing's been incredible," Zack effused, "But that _last_ one—wow! I don't even know what to say!"

"It was...rather spectacular," Sephiroth admitted. 

"Well, it seems like tonight was your lucky night. As you heard me mention, Aurous is a shy one. Getting him on stage is so difficult, so we can only promise one performance a month. When I'd heard word that such esteemed guests had visited Wall Market, well," Andrea made a vague gesture, "I wanted nothing more than to make sure they had quite the story to tell once they returned plate-side. I'm rather confident in that, now."

"Oh, it's a story all right. I don't think I blinked the whole time he performed!" Zack laughed. Privately, Sephiroth agreed. While he didn't have anyone aside from Zack to tell a story to, he could appreciate a unique experience when he saw one. And Aurous was certainly that.

Andrea watched them consideringly. "My club does off other services besides a gorgeous atmosphere and company."

"What type of services?" Sephiroth asked, half-curious, half-wary. Andrea eyed him mischievously.

"Private sessions, for one," he mentioned off-hand, inspecting his nails. 

Sephiroth and Zack went rigid.

The very idea of alone time with Aurous—his attention focused _only_ on him, imagining the sound of his name on Aurous's lips, those blue eyes watching him—

"I want a private session," Sephiroth and Zack said— _demanded_ —in unison.

Andrea held up a palm. "I should warn you, Aurous is quite profitable—profitable enough that he can pick and choose his clients and he is _very_ selective. More often than not, he will leave after a performance. The most I can do is make the _suggestion_ —"

Sephiroth interrupted him, polite yet firm. "We'll respect his decision." Zack nodded beside him and Sephiroth met Andrea's eyes evenly. "Make the request."

Andrea paused. Blinked. Then that same sly smile crept on his lips and he gave a little half-bow, hand pressed to his chest.

"Yes, _sir."_ And then he took a few steps away and was swallowed in the crowd.

He was only gone a few seconds before Zack turned to face him, expression serious, an elbow braced on his knee.

"Sephiroth, we have a problem," he said grimly.

"Oh?"

"Obviously, we're both interested in Aurous."

Sephiroth inclined his head. It hadn't escaped his notice that Zack was just as charmed as him. But he couldn't blame him, given the circumstances.

"So...what do we do?"

Sephiroth leaned back, crossing his arms. "Well, we are simply meeting with him for a conversation. I can handle sharing him long enough to manage that much."

Zack quirked a grin, nodding. "Yeah, that's true...so we're not gonna, I don't know, try to win him over or anything? Tell embarrassing stories about each other to make the other guy look bad?"

Sephiroth smirked. He'd _love_ to hear what imaginary dirt Zack believed he had on him, he really would.

"I doubt it'll be necessary. And in any case, if Aurous does express interest in either of us, it will be his choice."

Zack started to nod again, but then shook his head, expression wry. "We're getting ahead of ourselves, though, aren't we? He might not even want to see us—"

"It truly is your lucky day," Andrea announced, sweeping back towards them, smiling outright. Zack and Sephiroth straightened, hanging on his words with probably a pathetic amount of hope. Andrea stopped just beside their couch and gestured to encompass the two of them.

"Aurous has agreed to a private session." He held up one finger. "One hour."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Andrea Rhodea.
> 
> So, for this AU, I'm blending the canons of both the original FFVII and the Remake. Mostly because I have a fondness for both versions.


	2. Zack

"This is _not_ how I thought tonight would go," Zack confessed, smile small and nervous. 

Sephiroth glanced at him and folded his arms. While he sat calmly on a small loveseat in the middle of the room, Zack couldn't help pacing, attempting to chase away his anxious tension. The room they'd been escorted to was...a _lot._ Rich, expensive fabrics and furniture were in the Honeybee Inn's signature yellow and blacks in a set up not unlike a hotel. The bed, however, was large, larger than a king even and left no guessing as to what typically happened in it. Soft lights lit the room, bright enough to see in, but only just so. Zack was tempted to clap to see if they'd turn off, but held back.

"I suppose since I came out tonight without expectations, I'm having an easier time accepting it."

Zack blew out a loud sigh, arms swinging once before resting on his hips. "It would be easier if he wasn't so freaking _gorgeous."_ He rubbed his face. "So it's just me who's nervous, huh?"

Sephiroth shifted imperceptibly, but Zack still saw it. Sephiroth cast his eyes down.

"I didn't say that," he said quietly. 

Zack gaped for a moment. Sephiroth...admitting he felt anything less than prepared was... _huge!_ And, oddly enough, it made Zack feel a bit better. 

"Hey, if it gets bad, we'll run for it. Deal?" Zack joked, smile a little more genuine. 

Sephiroth's answering look was amused, which was exactly what Zack had been aiming for.

"It's a solid plan, SOLDIER."

Zack opened his mouth, of a mind to give a salute to see if he could coax a full-on smile out of Sephiroth, but a quiet knock on the door made them both drop the conversation. They exchanged a quick glance, mildly alarmed now that the moment of truth had arrived, but excitement over-rode any hesitation and Zack quickly answered the door.

Aurous stood before them, blue eyes half-lidded and appraising first Zack, and then Sephiroth behind him, with a casual indifference that made Zack's heart race. He must have been wearing a wig earlier because now his hair was much shorter, choppier in artfully disheveled spikes—but the vibrant blond color seemed to be natural.

His outfit made Zack's throat dry. Gone was the gauzy, fluttering dress from the stage. Now he wore a Honeybee themed uniform with black short-shorts that threw into relief the tantalizing curve of a firm ass. He wore a form-fitted sleeveless black and yellow striped turtleneck and black heeled ankle boots. The miles of skin he was showing displayed smooth, mouth-watering muscle tone and perfectly unblemished skin. He still wore a sheen of golden body glitter and his lips were that same pale, glossy pink. He looked fucking amazing.

He parted those glossy, pouty lips and said, "Hey."

Zack barely held in a shiver at the sound of his voice, quiet and smooth and effortlessly mellow. Zack felt like he was going to combust on the spot. 

"H-Hey." He barely had the sense to step aside, grateful he got his legs working enough to let Aurous through.

Aurous stepped into the room and Zack closed the door behind himself, eye re-gluing themselves to Aurous as he stopped in the middle distance between the two of them, by the bed. He crossed his arms and cocked a hip, eyes darting between the two of them.

"Not often we get SOLDIERs down here," he observed, tone dipping slightly into curiosity.

Small talk. _Thank Gaia,_ was Zack's fervent thought. He could do small talk.

"Yeah! We—uh, needed the break," he said, taking a few steps away from the door. He exchanged a look with Sephiroth, both of their minds straying to things best left alone as far as work went. Heartache and deception and betrayal were a twisted, writhing beast lying in the heart of Shin-Ra. Zack could only speak for himself, but he didn't think he was alone in thinking he still hadn't caught his breath after everything that had happened. Sephiroth had agreed to come below-plate, after all, and if that wasn't a cry for a distraction, at the very least, Zack didn't know _what_ was.

Aurous raised a brow. Clearly, he wasn't taking them at face value. 

He sat on the bed and it sank beneath his weight. He leaned back and his palms caressed the silk fabric as he braced himself and crossed those smooth, perfect legs.

"So you came here?" he asked dubiously.

Zack swallowed and his advanced hearing picked up Sephiroth doing the same. He didn't _dare_ look at him.

"Yes," Zack blurted, "And I'm _so_ glad we did."

More honest than he meant to be, but Zack didn't understand how he was supposed to maintain any brain-to-mouth filter when Aurous— _existed._

Those big blue eyes blinked once in mute surprise, but then he ducked his head and covered his mouth lightly. His chuckle could barely be called that, just a whisper of sound, but it was there.

The tension broke between the three of them and Zack nearly sighed in relief. Even if he'd made a fool of himself, it was worth it to see mirth dancing in Aurous's blue eyes.

"Here, you want a drink?" 

Zack quickly made his way over to the champagne nestled in its complimentary ice bucket on the table by the bed. Sephiroth was still silent, but that was to be expected. While he was intimidating at first glance, over the course of their friendship Zack had learned exactly how lacking Sephiroth was when it came to casual social interaction and didn't begrudge him for it. He didn't mind carrying most of the conversation. Sephiroth would talk when he was ready.

Aurous shot a confused look between the two of them as he accepted the glass from Zack.

"You...don't have to wine and dine me, you know that, right? You paid for the hour..."

"Huh? We're not trying to make you work more!" Zack's frown turned into a half-sheepish, half-excited grin. "We just really wanted to meet you!"

"It's true," Sephiroth spoke up, surprising Zack. His eyes regarded Aurous with honest and earnest appreciation. "It was a stunning performance."

Zack nearly jumped for joy. Sephiroth! Overcoming his social anxiety! Speaking up! Aurous _had_ to be something special to make Sephiroth speak up so soon after meeting him.

Aurous ducked his head again, staring into his champagne, but it was easy to see the slight flush on his skin, the pleased twist to his mouth.

"...Thanks," he murmured. "I try my best," he said modestly. "I guess I don't want Andrea to regret taking me in..."

"You have _nothing_ to worry about," Zack said emphatically. Sephiroth nodded in agreement, expression serious.

Aurous took one look at them and snorted, shaking his head. He took one last gulp of the champagne and set it aside on the bedside table. He resumed his reclined position, eyes tracing over both of them.

"It's...kinda weird I have to say this, but you don't have to be nervous." At their looks of mute surprise, Aurous huffed. "I'm saying you're allowed to touch."

Zack cut his gaze to Sephiroth, just in time for those mako-green eyes to meet his. 

Zack tilted his head slightly. _You cool?_

Sephiroth considered him a moment, then inclined his head subtly in agreement. Zack grinned.

Without any hesitation, Zack swept Aurous up into his arms and brought him to the couch, plopping down with him on his lap. Sephiroth took possession of his legs and caressed his bared skin. Privately, Zack bemoaned their uniforms and gloves, but Sephiroth didn't seem bothered, content to run his palm over the swell of the firm muscles in his reach. Zack was quite happy himself with his armful, delighting in Aurous's wide, surprised eyes and the weight of him, the warmth that blossomed where their bodies touched.

"Uh." Aurous' eyes grew incrementally wider when Sephiroth's movements became earnest, half-massaging, half-exploring, eyes focused as if there were nothing else he'd rather be doing with his time.

"This is..." His voice hitched in a way that Zack committed to memory when Sephiroth seemed to find a particularly sore area. "...Different," he finally said, unease clear in his tone. 

"What usually happens?" Zack ran a hand up and down his back. Aurous peeked up at him from beneath his fringe of hair.

"Well, usually I'm getting plowed or sucking a dick right now," he said frankly, tone conversational.

Zack and Sephiroth both froze for a moment. While they'd had their suspicions about the services the Honeybee Inn offered, to hear it confirmed so _bluntly..._

Zack, once again, resolved not to look at Sephiroth. It was an act of self-preservation to not show his 'turned-on-and-embarrassed' face to his superior officer or witness one in kind.

"We...really just wanted to meet you," Zack insisted weakly. 

"Mm," Sephiroth resumed his ministrations, eyes on Aurous. "All we desire is a conversation."

"About what...?" Aurous asked, wary.

_Small talk!_

Excited, Zack asked, "Where'd you learn how to _dance_ like that?"

Aurous seemed taken aback by Zack's honest enthusiasm. He looked to Sephiroth but was met with the same curiosity. He looked away for a moment.

"Well..." he started hesitantly.

Conversation flowed surprisingly easily once Aurous was convinced they'd really shelled out a few thousand gil just for that purpose. He leaned back into Zack's hold and answered every question they gave him, although he was evasive when it came to anything too personal. Zack could respect that and tried not to ask anything too prying. 

Aurous was pretty much _perfect._ Zack had been quietly hoping that meeting the stage sensation in person would help dissipate his blooming, ridiculous crush, but he was in for a rude awakening. Aurous had a dry sense of humor, caustic and sharp at times, and he even managed to make _Sephiroth_ smile. He seemed to grow more comfortable with them as time went on and ended up with Zack's hand in his lap, absently playing with his fingers as they talked. Whenever he made a point, he would nudge Sephiroth with his leg in an impertinent gesture, tone teasing and accusatory.

It took some time to convince Aurous that he was allowed to ask questions, but once they did he had more than a few, mostly about their lives as SOLDIERs. It was neither of their favorite topic, but luckily Aurous didn't ask anything that would be difficult to answer—even though it was _impossible_ he hadn't seen the news. It was obvious he was returning their tact and it only made Zack like him even more.

The topic of their strength inevitably came up, and, when Aurous asked for a demonstration, Zack and Sephiroth took turns lifting him over their heads, to his surprised delight. Sephiroth raised him with one arm, however, shooting Zack a smug look with a raised brow.

 _Show-off._ The thought was sickeningly fond. While Sephiroth thought this night out was for Zack, in truth, it was for him. If all the shit that happened in Shin-Ra had taught him anything, it was that anyone was susceptible if they were alone. More than anything, Sephiroth needed a friend and opportunities to do things that normal people did. Just thinking of all the years he'd spent isolated, only leaving HQ for missions, made Zack's chest ache. Even when Sephiroth had friends, his entire life revolved around Shin-Ra. Zack wasn't leaving him to that isolation any longer.

Their trip below plate had been better than Zack had been hoping. More than exciting, their time with Aurous was fun. He struck a good balance between Sephiroth's stoicism and Zack's high energy and when their hour was up, Zack didn't think he was imagining the slight disappointment on Aurous's face when he announced the session was approaching its end.

Aurous sat between them on the couch and straightened his top from where it had ridden up, slumped against Zack as he'd been. He levered himself up and turned to face them, the picture of casual as he shifted on one leg, hand on a hip.

"This was...nice," Aurous admitted. "Definitely not what I expected when Andrea told me two SOLDIERs booked a private session, but...well, thanks," and Aurous smiled at them, slight but bigger and brighter than any they'd seen before and Zack wasn't immune to it, not at all.

"Thank _you_ for seeing us even though you must have been exhausted!" Zack almost reached out but with their time almost up, decided against it. He didn't want to push it. "This was a really great, right, Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth looked at Aurous with a soft look Zack had never seen before, a small, content smile on his lips. "Worth every gil, Aurous," he agreed.

A small flush stained Aurous's cheeks, a surprisingly adorable sight. 

"Cloud," he said.

"Huh?"

Aurous met both their eyes. "Cloud," he said, firmly this time. "Aurous is a stage name. My real name is Cloud."

"Oh. Oh!" 

Sephiroth had an expression of subdued surprise to match his own. 

"Should...should you be telling us that?" Zack asked tentatively.

 _Cloud. Cloud,_ Zack nonetheless committed to memory. It was a strange name, but it suited him.

Aur—Cloud looked between them. He seemed amused. 

"Something tells me I don't have to worry about you two." He glanced over his shoulder to the door and where a black clock rested above the door, steadily counting down their last seconds. "Still." Cloud rocked on his heels. "I feel kinda bad. You both spent all that money and didn't even get laid..."

"We didn't come for—"

Zack cut himself off, nearly biting his own tongue when Cloud placed a warm hand on the center of his chest. Before he could do much more than freeze, Cloud stepped close, rose to his tip-toes, and kissed Zack soundly. It wasn't a peck, either, to Zack's eternal torment, but a thorough exploration as he guided Zack's head with a hand tangled in his thick black hair. Cloud's tongue traced the seam of Zack's lips before dipping inside to lick into his mouth.

Arousal went through him like an electric shock, but just when Zack was going to respond Cloud broke the kiss. He took a short step to the side where Sephiroth had frozen as well, staring, and looked up at him.

"General," he said, voice sinfully low. He beckoned with one curled finger and an expectant look on his face.

Sephiroth bent down like he was helpless to do anything other than what Cloud instructed, transfixed. The curtain of his hair fell like a silver waterfall and Cloud tucked some of it behind Sephiroth's ear before kissing him as well, just as hot, just as thorough.

That was around the time Zack realized he was watching his superior officer making out with someone. He should have looked away, but Sephiroth had watched _them_ , so wouldn't it be weirder if he looked away like it _wasn't_ happening? Or was it weird now that it was obvious what Cloud was going to do? 

Cloud released Sephiroth and licked his lips in a way that made Zack forget about anything he'd been thinking before. 

Cloud lightly rubbed at the corner of his mouth where his lip gloss was smudged, dark desire in his eyes as he looked at first Sephiroth, and then Zack.

"See ya," he said. Then he turned around and left, just like that. Like he hadn't just fucked Zack up.

They stood there in shock long enough for the clock to change, staring at the open doorway. Sephiroth slowly rose to his full height and that made Zack clear his throat. 

"Uh..."

Wary, he glanced at Sephiroth and was glad to see he didn't look much different from how Zack felt—bewildered and at a complete loss to process what had just happened. There was the faintest red stain to his face.

The sight of Sephiroth _blushing_ of all things was what did it. Zack covered his mouth but couldn't hold back his laughter. He cracked up, sides aching and tears springing to his eyes.

"Oh, Gaia, your _face!"_ Zack wheezed. "This is the best day of my life, oh my god."

When he managed to straighten, a few lingering chuckles shaking him, Sephiroth was regarding him with a small, wry smile and folded arms, blush nothing but a memory.

"Glad to see you're enjoying yourself," Sephiroth said dryly.

"Oh, I am, don't worry." Zack grinned and clapped Sephiroth on the back. "I just wish I'd taken a picture."

A genial man in a yellow blazer called to them once they'd reached the front and they both handed over company cards to pay for their time with Cloud. Sephiroth wasn't totally comfortable using company money on something less than professional, but Zack handed over his card gleefully. It was a pretty gil, but he had no reservations when it came to wasting Shin-Ra funds.

With only a few hours until sun-up, it seemed like Wall Market was finally winding down. There were still a ton of people crowding the neon-lit streets, but the energy was completely different, meandering and wistful, with more than a few people stumbling around drunk or flat-out asleep and slumped against their friends or the nearest bench. It didn't stop vendors from shouting their wares and specials, trying to entice a little more gil before the crowds were gone, but it was clear the night was over.

At the exit from Sector 6, Sephiroth took one step towards the path to the train, while Zack took a step in the opposite direction.

Sephiroth's curious look made Zack jerk his thumb over his shoulder.

"I'm actually gonna see Aerith," he said, pointing towards Sector 5. "She'll kill me if she finds out I came below the plate and didn't visit her and her mom."

"How would she even know?" 

"Ohhh, trust me," Zack said with grim certainty. "She'll know."

Sephiroth inclined his head, deferring to Zack's judgment. "You're still needed bright and early tomorrow morning," Sephiroth warned.

"I'll just crash at her place and head up early." Zack jogged away, tossed a wave and a shout over his shoulder. "I'll see ya, Sephiroth!"

Zack slowed to a stop out of sight and walked leisurely for the next few minutes, hands in his pockets, gazing up at the plate and the giant flood-lamps, dimmer now but still incredible to see—like a small moon. The night air was cooler and the uneven slope of the dirt trail was something Zack took the time to appreciate, especially compared to all the paved, perfectly level roads above. People disparaged the slums, above _and_ below the plate, but there was simply something more honest about them that felt like taking a deep breath. 

When Zack figured at least five minutes had passed, he stopped. Alone on the dirt track, his only company those distant floodlights and the rusted walls of the shanty-town, Zack placed his hands on his hips, hung his head, and sighed.

"Well. Here goes nothin'."

He turned around and speed-walked straight back to Wall Market because he was a damn _liar._

Part of him felt guilty for lying to his friend, but Zack never claimed to be as strong as Sephiroth. And right now? He _definitely_ wasn't.

When he swept back inside the Honeybee Inn, he was already disappointed. Not much time had passed, but it looked like the place was on its last leg. Music still playing but quieter, people shuffling past and out the door, stumbling or supported by their friends. 

_I'm too late._

Still, Zack approached the desk, his smile small and hopeful.

"Hiya! Uh, so, I just wanted to ask, are you guys closed?"

"Not quite," the receptionist (?) answered. He looked immaculate, untouched by fatigue despite the long hours he'd been pulling. He glanced at his watch. "While most patrons are too inebriated to enjoy our establishment's many attractions by this time, we still offer many delights until sunrise."

"Oh, okay, cool." Zack rocked back on his heels. "So...does that mean Cl—Aurous is still here?"

The question was greeted by a frown, another glance at the watch.

"While we do still have some Honeybees booking private rooms, that particular one...I'm afraid your chances are rather slim this long after his performance. I can ask, but—"

As he spoke, politely dashing Zack's hopes to the ground, a figure descended from the stairs just to the side of the desk and the sight of them made Zack straighten like he was called to attention.

Pale eyebrows furrowed as the figure paused on the last step, blue eyes confused.

"Zack?" Cloud asked. His gaze went from the receptionist to him. "I thought you left..."

Excitement, relief, and no small amount of nerves made Zack blurt, "I did, but then I kept thinking about you and I—I _had_ to come back."

Cloud's brows flew up at his declaration and his cheeks tinged with color. He seemed vaguely embarrassed, judging by how his eyes fell, how he shifted and dug his hands into the pockets of his jacket. He reached up and tugged on a long piece of his bangs hanging by his chin. It was incredibly adorable.

Those eyes came back up soon enough, landing on the receptionist with a thoughtful expression.

"Do I have time to pencil in another session?"

The receptionist jerked, clearly startled by the question. "O-of course!" he answered. "If you feel up to it."

Cloud was already closing the distance between them. 

"It's fine." He seized Zack by his wrist and took a step towards the stairs. He gave Zack's wrist a light tug. "Come on."

Unable to believe his luck and thanking Odin, Shiva, _whoever_ was watching over him that night, Zack followed.

Cloud lead Zack to a different room—smaller, cozier, but no less lacking in opulence and sophistication. Rich creams and reds decorated the space with the occasional accent of gold. The bed had silk sheets and there was another pail of ice and champagne sitting on the table just beside it. 

Once inside, the door locked, Cloud shrugged off his denim coat, hanging it by its fur collar over a chair. He was no less attractive in civilian clothes—tight jeans and a t-shirt—but Zack still felt guilty.

"Sorry," he apologized. "You were obviously headed home."

Cloud glanced back, pinning him with those beautiful blue eyes. He didn't say anything at first. His fingertips trailed down the length of his coat as he stepped away from it and made his way towards Zack. Leisurely, like a beast closing in on the hunt. 

"Yeah, I was," Cloud agreed. He stopped with his feet between Zack's, hands resting on Zack's chest. He peered up at him from beneath thick blonde lashes. "I guess you're gonna have to make it worth my while."

Zack's mouth went dry. "I guess I do." He wrapped his arms around Cloud, pulled him flush against him and wondered if Cloud could feel the thundering of his heart. "Is it okay to kiss you?"

"Only if you don't ask for permission for the rest of the night."

Cloud was going to _kill_ him.

"Deal," and then Zack was kissing him, soft at first, just tasting, and then deeper, probing, wanting nothing more than to learn every inch of Cloud, memorize every sound and shiver and then do it all over again.

Cloud's hands shifted, arms stretched over his shoulders, and then he was running slightly cool fingers over Zack's neck, surging into the kiss and burying his fingers in Zack's hair to grip hard.

Zack groaned. For all his nonchalant attitude, glimpses of that shyer Cloud had made Zack expect something more like that. This confidence, however, was pretty hot, too. It gave Zack some hope that Cloud didn't think of him as just a tedious part of his job, at least.

Without warning, Zack seized Cloud by his tiny waist and hiked him up, catching his thighs so he could wrap them around him. Cloud gave a soft gasp and caught himself on Zack's shoulders, eyes wide as they looked down and met Zack's grin. 

It barely took a second to get to the bed and Zack sat down and went back to kissing Cloud breathless, loving the feel of Cloud's thighs around him.

"I like you here," Zack muttered in the space between their kisses, voice low.

"Mm?" Cloud kissed him again, ran his palm across Zack's lower stomach in a way that made his muscles clench. "What, on the— _ah—_ bed?"

 _"Here."_ He gripped Cloud's hips, forced him down and onto his erection. Zack choked back a noise, eyes focused on how Cloud's head tossed, the way his face looked in pleasure. "Right here on my lap. Gaia, you look so fucking _good."_

Cloud moaned again when Zack didn't let up on his assault. Zack palmed him through his pants, rubbing and squeezing and quickly growing addicted to the sight of Cloud's flushed skin, his dazed eyes and kiss-swollen lips.

"Zack," he breathed, eyes peeking open, and Zack loved _that_ best of all.

"Fuck." Zack claimed another kiss. His tongue traced along Cloud's lips to slip inside, hot and demanding, and Cloud surrendered to it beautifully, twitched with a gasp when Zack's hand made short work of his zipper and slipped beneath his underwear to touch him bare. He was hard and the head of his dick was slick with pre-cum, enough to make Zack shudder. "You feel like a fucking _dream."_

Zack freeing Cloud from his pants made him respond in kind, hands fumbling since Zack wouldn't release his lips, and the first touch of Cloud's fingers around his dick nearly made him blow his load right there. He couldn't tell if he was so affected because it had been so long, or if it was just Cloud himself; maybe it was a little bit of both.

Still, he wanted more. He brushed Cloud's hand aside after a few pumps and ducked his head, biting and licking and sucking on the skin of Cloud's neck hard enough to leave bruises. Cloud tensed and tried to stifle himself, but he couldn't contain the sharp, hitching breath that escaped him when Zack seized them both in one large fist and started pumping.

Cloud's fingers dug into Zack's shoulders. His hips twitched and with his face buried against his neck Zack was able to focus more on the body in his grasp, how every stroke made Cloud rigid as he gasped, how every bite made him keen and shake until he was a writhing mess in Zack's lap. When Zack pulled back to see, Cloud's eyes were screwed shut, his lips parted as he panted for breath, the most amazing look of overwhelmed desire on his face.

 _"Gaia,"_ Zack breathed. The awe in his voice made Cloud crack open his eyes. _"Look_ at you. Where the hell have you been all my life?"

Cloud flushed even redder, the color crawling up his ears, down his bruised neck. He escaped the best he could given his position, pressing the side of his face into his shoulder.

"Zack—stop—" 

The return of that shyness was like gasoline over a fire. Zack absolutely did _not_ stop. His hand worked faster, feeling himself reach the edge the longer he looked at Cloud.

"I thought you were an angel on that stage," he said fervently. His hand gripped Cloud by the nape of his neck, keeping his eyes on him so Cloud would know he wasn't bullshitting. "Now I _know_ you are. The way you sound, _fuck,_ how you _feel._ You're _ruining_ me, Cloud," he said between gritted teeth.

Cloud full-body shuddered, pressing the back of his knuckles to his mouth. "Shit—Zack, I'm—"

"Close?" Zack kept stroking them both, eyes glued to Cloud's face even as he felt his own pleasure reaching new heights. "Do it, lemme see you, I _need_ to, c'mon Cloud, come for me, I wanna _see_ it—"

One last moan was ripped out of Cloud, and then he clutched Zack like he was going to fly away if he didn't grab hold. He came, cum spurting over Zack's hand, and the sight of Cloud's face as he released, coupled with how much slicker his cum was making Zack's strokes, sent him over right after, going still as it washed over him, so good and hotter than anything he'd experienced in longer than he could remember.

Zack stroked them both through the aftershocks, head resting on Cloud's shoulder as he panted. The little shivers that shook Cloud were all he could focus on until Cloud finally pushed his hand away.

"Go easy on a guy, _Ifrit,"_ he mumbled. 

Zack gave a breathless chuckle. He raised his head and met Cloud's crystal blue eyes with a smile. 

"Sorry." He pressed a kiss to Cloud's lips, delighting in how immediately he kissed back despite his complaints. 

"Hmph." 

"Aw, you mad at me?" Zack pressed more kisses to Cloud's lips, his cheeks, wherever he could reach. "I can't help it though, you're so hot..."

"Oh my God," Cloud muttered lowly, exasperated. 

"You are! It's seriously unfair, expecting me to keep my hands to myself when you're wiggling in my lap and moaning and—"

Cloud pressed a hard kiss to Zack's lips. "Please stop talking."

Zack kept up the praise for a few minutes, both because he meant it and enjoyed Cloud's embarrassed reactions and because Cloud kept kissing him to make him stop. Cloud was the one who finally tucked them back into their pants, wiping them off with a corner of the bedsheets, and when he finished Zack fell back against the bed and dragged Cloud down with him, arms unmoving around his waist. Luckily, Cloud didn't seem to be looking for the exit. He propped his chin on his hand and looked down at Zack, a tiny smile on his lips, eyes lidded with satisfaction.

Zack's answering smile was bigger, but it fell slightly in the next moment.

"How much time do I have left?"

Cloud arched slightly and peeked over his shoulder to where a discreet clock rested above the door, just like the other room. He faced Zack again.

"Twenty-five minutes." He shifted, pushed himself higher up Zack's body until their faces were only a breath away. "You bought the time," he pointed out. "What do you wanna do?" His hand lightly circled Zack's peck. "If you can get it up again, I could blow you?" he offered.

That combination of nonchalance and bluntness was _lethal._ While Zack _definitely_ could get it back up, instead, Zack's arms held Cloud tighter.

"Can we stay like this? Talk a little?"

Cloud stilled, staring down at Zack like he'd never seen anything like him before. Several seconds passed without a sound from him, and then, slowly—as if he were waiting for someone to jump out and say 'psych!', he said, "...sure."

Zack beamed.

Cloud kept it vague. How he ended up with Andrea, for one, was pretty much summed up as, "He thought I had potential." But he did mention he was from some nowhere town and they both learned they had something in common, hailing from a place where the biggest attraction was the mako reactor. 

Being a tactile person, Zack couldn't help running his hands up and down Cloud's back, his arms, and when he got to his sides he learned—to his never-ending _delight—_ that Cloud was _ticklish._ Cloud had looked dead serious, however, when he threatened to cut off his balls if he tried it again. Zack decided to heed the warning but tucked the information away for later.

"Do you like it here?"

Cloud gave the question some consideration, chin resting on hands splayed on Zack's chest. They hadn't separated once.

"...Yeah," he finally answered. "It's not what I thought I'd ever be doing, but it's good money. And I make people happy, so..."

Zack's smile grew soft. He stroked a hand through Cloud's soft, spiky hair, now mussed and even more cute.

"Yeah, you do."

It was difficult to let Cloud go, but he did it, watching mournfully as Cloud pulled his coat back on and ran a hand fruitlessly through his hair. At the door, they stood facing each other like two teenagers after their first date. With goodbye looming over the horizon, Zack couldn't resist pulling Cloud close one last time.

"Thanks. Again. For seeing me."

"Yeah. No problem."

Zack's smile turned teasing. "I sure hope I was worth you putting off going home."

Cloud looked away. "...Jury's still out," he answered, and Zack laughed. 

"You're such a hard-ass." 

The look Cloud gave him was unimpressed, but the smile tugging itself on his lips ruined the effect. Sly and so clearly pleased with himself, Zack had to steal one last kiss. Cloud returned it easily, hands gripping Zack's muscled forearms and squeezing.

"Is it cool if I come again?" The question was breathed against Cloud's lips.

"Yeah. I work four days a week, and pretty much every weekend." He pulled his head back slightly, enough to meet Zack's eyes sternly. "But I'm not making any promises I can do another private session. I'm not always available."

Zack grinned, undeterred. "Guess I'll have to make it worth your while."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, like I said before, like the Remake, the HB Inn is still a nightclub, but like the original game, it's also a brothel. I figured, they kept in the rooms and the 'peek through the keyholes' element in the Remake, it's BASICALLY implied to be a brothel, right? Right. Also, we just need more HB!Cloud, lol.


	3. Sephiroth

Sephiroth has been staring at the same sheet of paper for—according to his computer screen—seventeen minutes. 

He sighed in the safety and solitude of his private office, tapped the tip of his pen impatiently. It had been a week _exactly_ since his and Zack's little adventure below plate and thoughts of Cloud have been plaguing him ever since.

That night had commanded his focus in a uniquely singular way, one that was equally as enthralling as it was frustrating. No one had _ever_ affected him like this before. No one had _interested_ him like this before. There was just something about Cloud that made him take notice. Something buried beneath the apathetic attitude and glitter that beckoned to him in the brief flashes he'd seen. The subtle wariness and tension when they'd offered nothing but their company. The sharp intelligence that was apparent every time he opened his mouth, every time Zack and he skirted topics of Shin-Ra and the like. The soft, almost shy way he accepted their praise, the flash of blue eyes when they gauged them for the truth. Unsure. Vulnerable. 

Sephiroth was losing his _mind._ And it didn't help that every time he saw Zack, he was sharply reminded of what he'd missed out.

Because he wasn't a _simpleton;_ he knew Zack had gone back to the Inn after they'd parted. If it hadn't been obvious in his guilty expression, the forced air of ease, the days that followed would have easily betrayed him. He'd lost that weight of stress that had started to define his figure and his eyes would sometimes go distant when he didn't think anyone was looking, mouth quirked in a small, fond smile. 

Sephiroth didn't even resent him for it. He understood well the allure of one-on-one time with Cloud. He couldn't deny wanting the same thing. 

But Sephiroth was stronger. He was disciplined. And with every day that passed, he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that he was lying to himself.

When the time came for Sephiroth to end his workday, the number of files and forms he'd gotten through was laughable. It was less than even _Zack_ got on his less productive days, and that was pathetic.

Sephiroth resigned himself. With Zack away from Midgar on a simple monster-extermination mission, and thus unavailable to distract him, he had no choice. He was going back to the Honeybee Inn. He'd pushed the urge back day after day, but it only resurged with a vengeance, pushing back harder until it refused to be ignored. If he just _saw_ Cloud. If he could just _see_ him, maybe some semblance of sanity would return to him.

Maybe he'd stop being haunted by these vague, half-formed desires to possess and claim and be close.

Without his Zack buffer, Sephiroth didn't speak to many people. Over the years it had become clear that others found him intimidating, and he shamelessly used that to his advantage so he was saved from tedious small talk with fans on the train— although a little girl had stared at him for _such_ a long time, huddled against her mother's skirts, that Sephiroth had eventually met her look in kind. She'd only kept staring and Sephiroth, impressed that she hadn't flinched at his mako eyes, had winked. Her delighted grin had already made the trip below plate worth it.

Just like before, Sephiroth was ushered past the queue of hopefuls, but he was left to enter the club alone. He'd cast a glance outside the building before he'd entered, but hadn't spotted any cameras. He supposed, being the type of area it was, Andrea had his own way of knowing when someone from above-plate came to call.

Sephiroth swung open the door to the packed club and walked towards the stage, to the same table he'd sat in last weekend. Whether or not the table had already been empty or just hastily cleared because of Sephiroth's sudden appearance, he didn't know and he didn't care. He refused any offers for drinks or food and only gave the current performance a cursory glance before casting his eyes around the room; Cloud wasn't on-stage.

With his distinctive hair, he wasn't hard to spot. Wearing the same Honeybee uniform as last time, Sephiroth spotted Cloud some distance away, distributing drinks at a table. He looked just as beautiful as Sephiroth remembered with his smooth, flawless skin and pouty lips. While his toned body and graceful figure had initially attracted Sephiroth's attention, he couldn't look away from Cloud's face, couldn't shake the memory of those bottomless blue eyes.

Once Cloud had handed out the last drink, Sephiroth could see the slight furrow to his brow. His head raised, eyes searching, and soon enough landed on green.

Sephiroth felt himself straighten slightly. Those eyes on him—it was _exactly_ what he'd wanted. Sephiroth wanted those eyes only on him for as long as he breathed. 

Cloud tucked his serving tray underneath his arm and watched Sephiroth in turn, calm, considering. Sephiroth didn't move, didn't know what he was supposed to do. He'd come here with nothing more than the vague desire to see Cloud again. Now that he'd accomplished that, he didn't know how to articulate what he wanted, didn't know if Cloud was even interested in seeing him again.

Cloud's head tipped to the side. He held up one finger in the universal gesture for _wait._ Following that order was easy enough.

Sephiroth watched as Cloud approached the bar, said something to the bartender, and filled his tray with several more drinks. He made his way to another table of rowdy guests and handed out the glasses, accepting tips with a few lingering, side-long glances as he tucked them into his tiny shorts. He didn't smile, didn't wink or flirt and Sephiroth could see how that likely earned him even more tips from hopefuls just wanting a little of his attention. He was very much one of those same hopefuls.

Electric anticipation suffused his veins when Cloud finally straightened and walked unerringly to Sephiroth's table, blue eyes unreadable and nonchalant.

When Cloud reached his table he rested his tray on it, appraising.

"'Sup?" 

"Hello, Cloud," Sephiroth greeted, eyes drinking him in. The desire he'd been steadily forcing back all week was igniting in his chest, a low banked flame seconds from catching.

"This is a surprise," Cloud observed. He rested his hip against the table and placed one palm flat on its surface. "Didn't think I was impressive enough to warrant a second visit from a war hero."

"You were more than impressive. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

Cloud blinked. Sepiroth cursed himself. 

_This_ was why he had Zack as a buffer, he was entirely too blunt and he knew it. But it couldn't be helped. His entire life revolved around work, around whatever the 'mission' currently was. Sephiroth didn't see any use in dancing around the point. He had an objective and he was ruthless in his attempts to achieve it. Right now, Cloud was the mission.

Cloud didn't seem put off by his behavior, however, maybe just mildly surprised. There was the faintest red to his cheeks.

"I'm not performing tonight," he said, gesturing to his clothes. "Just working."

"I didn't come here for anything other than you," Sephiroth told him honestly.

This time Cloud looked away. He tugged at one of the longer strands of hair by his chin. "Well, sorry you wasted your time, but I can't hang out with you unless you pay for a private session."

Sephiroth pulled out his wallet and placed a sizeable stack of gil on the table. The colorful lights dancing across the stage illuminated the money clearly. 

"Is this enough to cover the entire night?"

Cloud had frozen the moment the gil came out, eyes wide. 

"Uh..."

"Yes!"

Andrea Rhodea swept out of nowhere and snatched the money up, flanked by two Honeybees, a man and a woman. 

"You," he said, pointing at the woman, "Take Aurous to get ready. You! Ready the Honey suite. And _you,"_ one manicured finger alighted on Sephiroth, "Go to the desk and get your key. Now! _Shoo!"_

Cloud looked bewildered. "Wait—"

The Honeygirl ignored his protests and quickly ushered him away. He glanced at Sephiroth one last time before he was swallowed by the crowd and Sephiroth felt disappointment—he'd barely gotten Cloud and he was gone already.

"No need to look so heart-broken," Andrea said, interrupting Sephiroth's thoughts. He gestured with a hand towards the double doors and where the reception area waited. "Go on, get your key. He'll be there soon."

After a moment of hesitation Sephiroth rose, inclined his head. Andrea took his seat once he stood and began leafing through the stack of gil, propping his crossed legs on the table. Sephiroth heard him speak before he made it too far, low and satisfied and definitely directed at himself.

"I love my job."

* * *

Sephiroth stood in the garishly-decorated Honey Suite, arms crossed, the only betrayal of his impatience the drum of his fingers across his upper arm. 

To speed things along, he'd paid upfront, uncaring of the large sum of gil that was charged to his card. He'd checked in the days that had followed his first visit and had been relieved that payment for a rented room in the Honeybee Inn only showed up as ENTERTAINMENT for the charge. It was gil well spent, he thought, and he wasn't ashamed, but even with the worst of Shin-Ra's corruption weeded out, a resource oligarchy disguised as a benign company was corrupt on levels more than one. He couldn't be certain he wasn't still being watched to some degree and it wouldn't do to give anyone any peeks into his private life.

He'd made the trip, he'd paid ahead, he was nothing but courteous to the staff—so why was he still _waiting?_ In that moment, Sephiroth berated himself. Cloud had been _right there._ He should have seized him then and there, dragged him to the nearest empty room, and never let go. 

Luckily, Sephiroth's wallowing in bitter regret ended soon enough. He turned with sharp attention when the quiet click of the door sounded and when Cloud slipped in and locked it behind him, Sephiroth could only _stare._

Cloud took one look at him and grimaced. His pale fingers brushed over his clothes.

"I know. Sorry." He frowned, looking up at Sephiroth through lashes painted black, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "They really went overboard."

There was no attempt to dress Cloud in any semblance of the Inn's namesake. No, instead, Cloud was clad in fine, shimmering lingerie. He wore a thin one-piece, just sheer fabric around his middle but lace above and below, open in the center of his torso in a wide circle to better show off the muscles there, and curved up to his neck in a firm halter style. Below, the lace hugged him in a way that made Sephiroth's mouth water, delicately cradling his shape in a way that was both obscene and elegant. Over the top was a thin robe edged in fluffy down and he wore knee-high stocking and pure white heels to match the entire ensemble. He was wearing lipstick.

Sephiroth couldn't describe what came over him if he had _years._ His brain simply unplugged—anything that wasn't Cloud simply fell away.

He stalked towards Cloud and whatever was on his face made Cloud step back. Sephiroth didn't care, just kept pressing forward until Cloud's back hit the wall and there was nowhere to run.

His hands slammed on either side of Cloud's head. Silver hair shaded them from the scant light and Cloud stared up at him with wide, blue eyes. Startled, but not scared. Not yet.

Sephiroth had to close his eyes against the sight of him; couldn't bear to tear his eyes away. Cloud already painted a breath-taking picture as he was, but like this? Dressed so prettily, a gift just for Sephiroth to unwrap? It was everything he'd wanted. It was too much. 

He let himself look, but he couldn't bring himself to touch. The white lace pressed against flushed skin was enough of a sight that he felt dizzy from it and he cursed whoever had decided to pour Cloud into this outfit. There was no way he could trust himself right now.

As the seconds passed and it became increasingly clear that Sephiroth wasn't moving, Cloud's expression went from alarmed to confused. His eyes hesitantly traced over Sephiroth's face, no doubt reading the fierce want there and not understanding.

Tentatively, he raised his hands, slowly and carefully, as if afraid _Sephiroth_ would spook. A part of him agreed with Cloud's assessment.

Cloud's hands curled around Sephiroth's upper arms, just a bit down from his wrists, and his eyes went wide again, meeting Sephiroth's.

"Oh," he breathed. He could feel the fine tremors that made Sephiroth shake, the tightly coiled want that kept him paralyzed.

Just as slowly, just as carefully, Cloud cupped Sephiroth's face and brought his head down. The words to protest wouldn't come and he watched, heart racing, as Cloud's eyes slipped closed and their lips met. 

A full-body shudder rippled through him. Parting was _impossible_ and he was greedy when he kissed Cloud back, pressing him back against the wall, needing more, slipping his tongue into Cloud's mouth and mapping the inside as thoroughly as he could, trying his damndest to devour him.

The force of his desire terrified him. It was a loss of control he had no preparation for, no way to reign in. He had to warn Cloud, he had to _stop—_

Cloud turned his head aside, sucked in a few gasping breaths. Then his lips were back, skimming over Sephiroth's cheek, trailing to his ear.

"It's okay," he murmured, voice already wrecked, "Touch me."

Sephiroth closed his eyes against what those words did to him. He managed to unlock his jaw, dangerously close to clawing his fingers into the _wall._

"I won't be able to stop once I start," and his voice didn't come out apologetic and ashamed like he wanted, only laced with promise, only angry in his frustration with himself and tight with restraint.

Cloud tilted Sephiroth's face so that their eyes met.

"Wasn't asking." And then Cloud was kissing him, hard and wet and not at all scared or uncertain or the hundreds of other things he should have been feeling other than stupid, blind trust that Sephiroth wasn't going to hurt him. His hands slid down to Sephiroth's belt, made short work of its clasp, and then he was sliding warm hands over Sephiroth's naked shoulders and pushing his jacket, pauldrons and all, off with insistent tugs until it fell to the floor and pooled at their feet.

Knowing Cloud's touch for even those fleeting seconds made any other breath without it intolerable. It was only too easy to lift Cloud, to pull him flush and hold him upright by his thighs. Cloud wasted no time wrapping his legs around him and he brought their lips together in the same instant, seeming just as starved for Sephiroth's touch as he was for Cloud's.

 _More._ It was the only coherent thought in Sephiroth's mind. More of Cloud's hot, smooth skin. More of his little stifled moans, the thread of his fingers through Sephiroth's hair, more of those piercing blue eyes on him and only him. He wanted to sink into his skin and never come up for air.

His hand was keeping Cloud's head angled down with a firm grip where his neck met his head, but Cloud still made a valiant attempt to part their lips.

"Aren't you—aren't you getting tired?" he asked, chest heaving."Of holding me up?"

"No," Sephiroth answered shortly, claiming another deep kiss. 

"Would— _mm—_ be a shame to wa—waste the bed."

Sephiroth only conceded the point because getting Cloud on the bed would free up one of his hands. 

With that kind of incentive, he wasted no time pressing Cloud into the plush mattress, aligning their bodies so there wasn't so much as a _whisper_ of space between them as his hands roamed over smooth curves and hard muscles, as his lips traced the edge of a firm jaw. A lick over Cloud's adam's apple made him sigh; he bit harshly where neck met shoulder and he gasped. It still wasn't _enough._

Every inch of Cloud demanded to be worshiped properly. Sephiroth took his time marking Cloud wherever possible, lingering at his chest until bruises dotted his skin like stars. Sephiroth wasn't in the right frame of mind to speak more than snatches of words at a time, and it seemed that under his attention, Cloud wasn't doing any better. The whispered words of encouragement, the sly comments were nowhere to be found. He was flushed and panting, gasping and squirming in Sephiroth's arms, and when those eyes met his, they glittered with tears.

The sight made Sephiroth feel... _desperate._

_More._

His cheek pressed to Cloud's inner thigh, he could have wept for the sight he made, the obscene press of his dick against the lingerie, the wet spot slowly making the fabric translucent enough to make out a pink head. When Sephiroth touched, he found the fabric split neatly, a clever slit that allowed Sephiroth to pull Cloud out and bare him without having to sacrifice the sight of him in lace.

He changed his mind; Sephiroth wasn't sure who's idea it was to put Cloud in this outfit, but he made a note to himself, distantly, to tip them. Generously.

"Oh— _fuck,"_ Cloud moaned. He pressed his hand to his mouth, overwhelmed, while his free hand rested on Sephiroth's head to pet and tangle and pull in the best way possible. The heavy weight of Cloud in his mouth, so hot and so eager, just for him, was good. But the look on Cloud's face each time he glanced down only to see Sephiroth's eyes pinned on him? The way he'd flush even deeper and shake and try to tuck his head into the pillow, his shoulder, to hide? That was perfection.

He didn't last long. A few strokes, a few thorough licks, a few sucks, and Cloud's thighs tensed around him.

"Se—Sephiroth—" Cloud overcame his embarrassment long enough to shoot him a pleading look. "I'm gonna—"

His hands easily encompassed the firm swell of Cloud's ass. Sephiroth lifted Cloud a few inches off the bed, pushed him deeper in his mouth, and _swallowed._

Cloud's gasp morphed into a shout of pleasure half-way through, his eyes wide with shock and dark with intense arousal. Sephiroth watched him all through it, leisurely licking his dick until he slowly softened, drinking in the transition from incredible tension to bliss, the way Cloud's features smoothed into exhausted satisfaction, how open and _vulnerable_ he was in the time it took for him to catch his breath. 

Sephiroth released Cloud with a pop that made him shudder and closed the distance between them, tasting Cloud's cries against his mouth, savoring how pliant he was.

Cloud recovered after a few minutes of kissing, enough to lazily slide an arm around Sephiroth. His hand paused on his upper arm, squeezed, and he hummed in a low, considering noise. Until that moment, Sephiroth hadn't realized how stiff he was, still holding back even after being allowed to touch.

"I'm good. We can keep going," Cloud said, voice slurring. His other palm slid down the length of Sephiroth's chest, lower and lower until he found where Sephiroth was hard and straining against his leathers and _squeezed._

It was a concentrated effort not to simply rip the pants clean off his body, but a semblance of common sense persisted admirably and reminded him he wouldn't be allowed on the train pantsless, General or not. Pulling back from Cloud long enough to remove them still made him wonder if it was worth it.

Cloud had already given his permission, so he reached back and traced the slit in his clothes. He pressed his fingers further back, then paused. His eyes flashed to Cloud in mute surprise. 

"I prepped," Cloud explained, which was... _good,_ obviously. Sephiroth tried to ignore the swell of disappointment, despite how much _he'd_ been looking forward to doing that.

Cloud tensed when he pressed in, but he didn't seem to be in pain. His eyes were unfocused, turned inward. He only seemed consumed in the feeling. Sephiroth felt very much the same. Cloud was like slipping inside of heaven. He was hot and slick and tight and a million other things that made Sephiroth want to bury himself to the hilt and never separate again.

But his body demanded otherwise and he pulled out just as slow, savoring, eyes torn between watching himself retreat and re-enter that perfect heat and watching Cloud's face for signs of discomfort—only to find it still just as beautiful even sweaty and red and expression almost pained from pleasure. 

This went on for a while, long enough for Cloud to bring his gaze to Sephiroth's face, long enough for Cloud to stare into his eyes and understand what he was doing.

"Ho—" Cloud sucked in a sharp breath as Sephiroth slid back in, eyelids fluttering as he tried to focus. He huffed. "How— _nn—_ is this st-still about— _fuck—_ m- _me?"_

Sephiroth had never heard a stupider question. How could anything _not_ be about Cloud? The flush of his face, the clench and caress of his body, the startlingly bright blue of his eyes; Sephiroth's mind was just a looping demand of _CloudCloudCloud._ Nothing else existed for him. Nothing else _mattered._

Cloud rolled his hips in an urgent motion, meeting the next thrust, and Sephiroth shuddered, felt his heart stop beating. 

"C'mon," Cloud urged quietly. His blue eyes flashed up to his face, half-lidded and wanting. He licked his lips, parted his lips and breathed, "I want it. Harder." Another insistent roll. "It's okay. I know you want to."

Sephiroth...there was no other way to say it. He went a little insane.

Where before he'd treated Cloud like something precious to be explored carefully and thoroughly, now he fell on him like a beast, hips snapping, arms like steel bars locking them flush, lips and teeth and tongue plunging Cloud's mouth, sucking new bruises into his neck and chest. 

Distantly, he was aware of Cloud crying out, but when he looked long enough to see his face, to see eager gratification instead of pain as Sephiroth built him back up to that edge, all he cared about was memorizing every inch of his body, mapping every swell and dip of skin, every _possible_ sound he could wrench from Cloud's throat and pounding into that warm, tight, incredible, _perfect_ hole.

Sephiroth wanted to prolong it, but he couldn't control himself, and when his muscles started to bunch and his head bowed and his mouth formed a grimace of dismay, Cloud's arms wrapped around his shoulders and pressed him close with all his strength.

 _"Sephiroth,"_ he breathed, voice nearly gone, and Sephiroth's orgasm crashed over him before he knew what happened. It hit him like a freight train, like he'd never experienced before, all-encompassing, completely overwhelming, and driving every single thought from his head other than deep, incredible pleasure.

When his surroundings swam back into focus an eon later, he was half-smothering Cloud into the mattress, their heaving chest pressed tight, skin still slick with exertion. Cloud didn't voice a single complaint about Sephiroth's not-inconsiderable weight or the heat, and for that he was immensely grateful. The very thought of separating was abhorrent.

Eventually, Cloud's hand began to idly rub his head, lithe fingers threading through long strands of hair. It was soothing, but it didn't make him crave rest. The ravenous beast in Sephiroth's chest, the one that made him lose all semblance of self, the one that _demanded_ he take and take, began to stir again. Sephiroth tried to lie still, tried to smother it down, but his resistance crumbled with each pass of fingers through his hair, until—

Cloud froze. Sephiroth could hear his lips part in shock. 

"... _No way,"_ Cloud gasped.

But it was happening, Sephiroth was growing hard again and a small part of him was embarrassed. Most of him was just hungry.

He shifted up half-way by a raised arm, enough to look down the slope of their bodies and slowly ease back, to see the slick of his own semen leak out around his erection as he moved. The sight made him swell more, and Cloud gasped again, louder, undeniably affected.

"Are you a monster?" Cloud asked breathlessly, looking torn between horror and awe. There was no easy answer to that question so Sephiroth just grunted, pushed back in and marveled at how the slide was just as sweet, just as addicting.

Setting a much slower pace, Sephiroth's eyes found their way back to Cloud's. 

"All night, Cloud," he reminded him. 

Cloud's eyes were giant in his face. He swallowed.

 _"Fuck,"_ he whispered very, very softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Sephiroth. I love Cloud. But I love them best together. Hopefully that showed! Also, that 'monster' comment was definitely done on purpose. ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿
> 
> Inspiration for Cloud's[ lingerie.](https://shop.hommemystere.com/emma-teddy/)


	4. Cloud

It felt good to use his ass again. The last few days Cloud had been forced to _walk_ to work and back, which wasn't so bad by itself, but he missed riding his bike.

 _Shiva,_ he missed his bike. 

The extra gil in his pocket had helped soothe that woe, however, courtesy of his latest SOLDIER customers. 

Just the thought of them made Cloud sigh. He wasn't exactly _complaining,_ but his feelings where they were concerned were... _complicated._ And Cloud tried to avoid complicated whenever possible.

Zack had been amazing. So sweet and honest, thoughtful and eager, and the praise he'd pressed into Cloud's skin, the hot wash of his breath as he jerked them off—those memories were never far from his thoughts. He'd been completely unlike any idea he'd had about what a SOLDIER should be—in the best possible way. It was painfully obvious that for all his strength and status, Zack was an overwhelmingly good guy. Cloud _almost_ felt bad taking his money.

Almost.

And then there was _Sephiroth._ Gaia, where did he even _start?_ It was good enough he'd forgotten the goddamn _condom,_ for one, something he'd _never_ done. 

He'd never felt such intense emotion and power before, and all of it aimed at _him._ When Sephiroth had requested him for the night, he'd thought he was prepared for anything. A quick fuck, some rough handling, maybe even some demeaning dirty-talk. He was completely blindsided by the raw, almost tortured man he'd received instead, so hesitant to touch for fear of hurting Cloud, then like an unstoppable force once he'd let himself go. Nothing like the cool, calm General he'd read about so long ago.

And then there was what he'd said at the end, when Cloud had asked why someone like Sephiroth had chosen _him_ to spend such an intimate night with.

 _Who else would I choose?_ Sephiroth had looked so _confused._

The experiences themselves he thought would shake up anyone in his position, experienced or not. But there was also the frequency.

After all, two clients in the same month? It was virtually unheard of for Cloud. Like his performances, he was very, _very_ selective. His time on stage brought in enough money that he didn't have to 'entertain' on top of that. Andrea respected that and let him work the other jobs when he was performing (the huge amount of gil he brought in for both his performance and the 'exclusivity' probably helped, too), bussing and cleaning and whatever other grunt work he could get done while still wearing short-shorts. But from the moment he'd clapped eyes on those two SOLDIERs and seen them staring right back, he couldn't make himself turn them away.

The way they'd watched him that night—he couldn't shake it. It made him feel _good._ Like he was more than the body that people came to see. Like he was impressive enough to make two elite First Class SOLDIERs stop and take notice.

It had been even more of a shock when they'd booked Cloud for a private session and then— _didn't_ fuck him. It _still_ baffled Cloud. He was _right there,_ it was _obvious_ what he was there for, but they'd held back. _Talked._

And maybe that was what made Cloud accept them when they came back. Their attractiveness couldn't be overstated, but in his brief encounters with Zack and Sephiroth, more than anything, they'd seemed so incredibly lonely. A feeling Cloud could appreciate, probably more than most people. And he'd found himself reaching back before he could help it, only knowing that he wanted to ease that feeling—even if only for an hour. 

That had wormed them into Cloud's heart more than anything else. And therein laid the problem. 

There was a _reason_ Cloud didn't take clients. He acted distant, but it was all too easy to get attached, and you did _not_ get attached to the client. It was practically the first rule of working at a place like the Honeybee Inn. It was going to get him nothing but pain and heartache if he let it continue. He just hoped he could say no when the time came— _if_ it came. There was no guarantee they'd come back, and Cloud could just be getting ahead of himself.

 _Gaia,_ that would make things _so_ much easier. Unfortunately, the small part of him that wistfully wished for just one more night with them was proving to be hard to crush.

Denzel shoved a notebook in Cloud's face and it pulled him from his worrying. He tried to make his expression look more _patient-and-ready-to-answer-your-questions_ and less _I'm-having-an-existential-crisis-over-my-sex-life._

"Can you check this?" Denzel asked, brows furrowed. "I think it's good but Ms. Folia says I have to work on my proof-reading." 

Cloud glanced over the paper, then held out his hand for a pencil when he caught something. 

They were sitting at their tiny kitchen table, most of the space occupied by Denzel's stuff; toys, a jacket, a _lot_ of half-crinkled schoolwork. The apartment itself wasn't anything to brag about, but for the two of them, it was home. Cloud paid for it with his _own_ money and everything inside it belonged to him or Denzel. It was a life he'd worked hard to have, and there were no words for how good it felt to exist in a space that was his, _really his,_ for the first time in his life. There'd been a point in his life where he didn't think he'd _ever_ get this far. And Denzel had been the biggest surprise yet.

They'd found each other quite by chance, shortly after Cloud had started working for Andrea. He'd been heading to his new apartment late that night and had stumbled upon some homeless kid collapsed near his bike. It had been ass o'clock in the morning, so it wasn't like there was anywhere _to_ take him, but the thought to do so hadn't even crossed his mind. It was impossible not to notice those sunken cheeks, that bruised and battered body and threadbare clothes and not empathize; it had been like looking in a damn mirror.

So Cloud had brought him home. Nursed him as best he could, fed him what he could spare and maybe went without a few meals when Denzel started to gain enough strength to take bigger portions without getting sick. When he'd come home one night to find Denzel had left, he hadn't been surprised. The strength of his disappointment had taken him aback, though. He knew what it was like to feel caged, to choose a pain you knew instead of risking an unknown new one. He'd silently wished Denzel luck, hoped he didn't stumble upon a small body again and this time be too late.

A week later, he'd come to a brutal halt at the end of the walkway. Denzel had been curled up against his door, but he shot up like a rocket at Cloud's arrival. He'd stared at him with those big, scared, starved eyes and Cloud realized there was really no other choice. He'd run his fingers through Denzel's hair, swung the door wide open, and told him he could stay for as long as he liked. 

The kid had tried his best to squeeze the air from his body from the force of his hug, and the rest was history. They'd been together ever since. 

Denzel was one of the main reasons Cloud couldn't begrudge the sudden swell of gil in his pocket. It had paid for some things Denzel had sorely needed; new shoes, a decent backpack, some toys. With rent more than covered, meals had gotten bigger and he was thankful for _that_ more than anything. Denzel was a growing boy, and at ten he would only need more. And Cloud had resolved long ago that Denzel would never know the cruel bite of gnawing hunger again.

"You hungry?" Denzel's frantic nod made him smile. "Want Wutaian?"

"Really?! Yes!" His excitement was understandable; indulging in take-out was typically a rare treat, and they'd already done it twice this week.

Denzel's enthusiasm suddenly dimmed and he cast Cloud an apprehensive look.

"We...we're not _rich,_ are we?" he asked with dread. Cloud resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

 _Barret._ On nights Cloud worked particularly late, like the last two weekends, Cloud sent Denzel to spend the night with Marlene and her dad, Barret. Barret, who'd only been increasingly more vocal of his disgust in the upper plate elite in light of all these crazy news reports on Shin-Ra HQ, their massive defections and slew of assassinations. Barret had greeted every big tragedy of Shin-Ra's like a kid at Christmas, glad to see some 'justice' finally being served.

 _"The only good rich person,"_ Barret had said a million times, _"Is a DEAD rich person."_

 _"Eat the rich!"_ A chant Barret had taught Marlene that the four-year-old eagerly shouted at the bar whenever the opportunity arose. Barret always wiped a proud tear from his eye, grinning like a maniac. Tifa always looked so tired.

Cloud set his hand on Denzel's shoulder. He looked him in the eyes.

"We will _never_ be rich," Cloud assured him firmly. 

Denzel visibly sagged in relief and Cloud took it upon himself to distract him with picking what to order.

Seeing Denzel's happy smile, the way he nearly vibrated in delight when Cloud told him he could get whatever he wanted, he couldn't bring himself to regret the extra gil he'd earned from his two SOLDIER clients.

Now, if only his thoughts could stay firmly in the realm of simply appreciating a good customer.

Since he had his usual weekend shift at the Honeybee Inn, Cloud dropped Denzel off at Tifa's bar where Barret and Marlene received him with open arms, and then he went straight to work, looking forward to his life going back to his usual mundane routine. He still had a few weeks before he was due for another performance, which meant he could fade into the background and do the mindless grunt work of bussing and cleaning and generally walking around in a skimpy outfit. It was what he needed, really. Some time away, and his silly... _crush_...would disappear. No problem.

The girls certainly weren't making it easy, though, teasing Cloud about his 'new boyfriends' as he got dressed, trying to urge him into some more overt make-up to entice them as he got ready in front of the mirror. He scowled.

"It's not like that."

"Suuure," Folia said as she walked by. "We've _definitely_ seen the last of those two," she mused, winking at Cloud through the mirror. His scowl deepened.

"It was a _one-time thing."_

He was greeted by giggles and a few indulgent head shakes like he was being _so cute._ Cloud stomped out to the front and all but _demanded_ his assignment. He was ready to work.

Luckily, he was assigned the bar. There'd been a call-in, so while Cloud working it by himself should have been cause for frustration, he was grateful for it tonight. The busier he was, the better. He wanted a night without being plagued by mako eyes. 

And for the first couple of hours, he got that. He only tempered his standoffish personality slightly when he worked, which helped to get people through their orders and off his bar to make room for the next person. He ignored the catcalls and showed off a bit, twirling glasses and pouring with a certain finesse, and he generated a good amount of tips—not that he was hurting for gil at the moment. But still, every little bit helped.

He was starting to feel the burn in his legs from working the bar so long. It was a minor one, especially with him wearing heels, but he was nowhere near needing to tap out for a break. In a pair of chunky ankle boots, he felt he could manage a few more hours before needing to eat, but he wanted to delay his break for as long as possible, squeeze out as many tips as he could manage—

"Heya, Cloud!"

Cloud nearly dropped the glass he'd been cleaning, whirling around to face Zack—charming, smiling, SOLDIER First Class Zack.

Cloud frowned, closed out a tab when a customer hollered at him to do so, and then walked over the moment he was free.

"What are you doing here?"

Zack rested his chin in his palm, smiling up at Cloud with a happy, easy-going air. 

"To see you! Obviously."

Cloud refused to blush. "Yeah, well, hate to break it to you--"

"Cloud."

 _"Sephiroth?!"_ Zack exclaimed at the same time Cloud muttered, "Oh for fuck's sake."

"Zack," Sephiroth greeted with what could generously be called a surprised expression. 

"What are you—" Zack paused, looked between the two of them, and frowned. "Shit." He spun to face Cloud. "Please tell me you're seeing guests, and that you'll see _me,_ specifically."

Sephiroth's lips twitched down. "Actually, I—"

"No, I'm not." Cloud said flatly, before this could go any further. A customer came to the bar and shouted an order for a round of shots and Cloud got to work, feeling two pairs of eyes on him all the while. The moment he finished, they were back.

"Why not?" Zack asked, and he had the gall to look _disappointed,_ like any of this was _Cloud's_ problem.

"That was just supposed to be a one-time gig," Cloud said firmly. He met both their eyes as he said it. "That's usually how things go around here. Plus," he pointed to them, "I'm not interested in breaking up a friendship." From what he'd observed in their brief time together, Cloud felt like they both needed all the friends they could get.

Zack and Sephiroth looked at one another. They both glanced back at Cloud and then retreated from the bar, only a few feet away but just far enough that Cloud couldn't hear them. Not that he wanted to, he was sure it was along the lines of reaffirming an incredibly meaningful relationship and not risking it for some ass. It was the way things needed to be. 

Then, Zack stepped back up to the bar, Sephiroth just a half-step behind them. The determined looks on their faces made Cloud uneasy.

"What if you didn't?"

Cloud watched them warily. "Didn't...what?"

"What if you didn't break up our friendship?" He and Sephiroth exchanged another look and Sephiroth inclined his head. Zack smiled, then faced Cloud. "What if it was both of us at the same time?"

Cloud stared, struck speechless. 

"...Just like that?" he finally managed, suppressing every image his imagination conjured at the mere suggestion. "A quick huddle, and you're cool with a threesome. With _sharing?"_

Neither flinched, just looked back at Cloud. 

"If it means not losing you, then yes," Sephiroth said.

"Whatever it takes," Zack agreed.

Cloud shook his head. "Unbelievable," he muttered, but the thought...it wasn't _bad._ And if they were lying, or getting ahead of themselves, it would only prove Cloud's point, right?

But none of that mattered. "I don't get off for another four hours," he told them.

"We'll wait," Sephiroth said, unmoved. 

Cloud levered him with a Look. 

"For _four hours?"_ he asked, tone hard.

"Yeah," Zack leaned took a seat on a stool, grinning. "We'll chill. Enjoy the view," he added with a wink.

Sephiroth joined him at the bar, met Cloud's disbelieving look.

"You're worth the wait," he said quietly.

A red blush erupted on Cloud's face before he could stop it and he turned around and walked to the other end of the bar, where there were paying customers who didn't _say_ shit like that and _watch_ him like that and generally didn't have any surprises up their sleeves.

Behind him, he could hear Zack chuckle.

"He's pretty cute, right?" 

Sephiroth made a low, rumbling sound of assent. Cloud _wasn't_ listening.

To their credit, they let Cloud work the bar without doing anything more distracting than watching him. Which was...more distracting than he was willing to admit, but he dealt. It would be easier if they just eye-fucked him like any other customer, but there was something a little too warm and fond in their gaze that made Cloud want to duck out the back door and _run_ home. 

He _dealt_ with it.

In between the flood of drunks demanding his undivided attention, he drifted back to them, pouring them drinks sometimes, but mostly just talking. They asked about the club, where he learned to mix drinks, how much he usually made in a night. They compared work-out routines and their dream vacations, and the weirdest monsters they'd seen in the slums. Just like the night they'd first met, it was surprisingly nice and not _at all_ what he expected from two rich, powerful men who were looking to buy his body for a couple of hours.

A few times he spotted them in deep conversation, serious, voices low. Cloud hoped they were _really_ talking about and not just saying, 'I'm cool. You cool? Cool.'

His shift finally ended and he was relieved by a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Honeygirl. Cloud took a silent, fortifying breath and marched over to Sephiroth and Zack. They both straightened to attention, nearly-identical looks of suppressed excitement on their faces.

Cloud crossed his arms, glaring. 

"You're _sure_ about this?"

"Yes."

"Positive!"

"It's just," Cloud glanced away, tugged on a strand of hair, "I don't want you agreeing to this because of me. Or regret it later." 

"Cloud." Zack was leaning across the bar, looking like he wanted to hop the counter and _grab_ him. "We're sure, promise. You were right, the last thing we want to do is lose a close friend. This'll work."

"Are _you_ sure, Cloud?" Sephiroth's gaze was probing. "This was a rather sudden decision."

Cloud was taken aback for a moment. When was the last time someone had _asked_...?

"...Yeah. I'm sure. I know I don't have anything to worry about with you guys," he answered honestly.

Their pleased expression made Cloud's face warm; he pointed insistently at the doors.

"All right, _fine._ Go to the front and rent a room. Tell him Aurous sent you."

"Oh, _hell yeah,"_ Zack cheered, hopping out of his seat. Sephiroth smirked, green eyes flashing to him in a brief moment of levity, and then they left together, leaving Cloud to wonder if he just signed his own death warrant.

He used the time alone in the dressing room to calm his thundering heart. He touched up his scant make-up, changed into a fresh uniform, and tried not to focus on the fact that he might not make it out of that room _alive_ if his previous experiences said anything.

He could absolutely handle this. _They're just customers._ No sweat.

"My, my, haven't we been busy bees?" Andrea swooped in out of nowhere, startling Cloud bad enough he almost fell right out of his plush seat. Andrea draped himself over Cloud, smirking at him in the mirror. _"Three_ private sessions in the same month? And a pair of _SOLDIERs_ no less." Andrea gave Cloud's shoulders an encouraging squeeze. "Looks like you've landed yourself some very lucrative regulars."

Cloud grimaced. Being a rich client's favorite enough that they paid good money, _often,_ to see you was basically the dream, but that wasn't what was happening here. He shook his head, put his game face on.

"I don't think so. They just...need to get me out of their system. This will be the last night."

"Hm," Andrea watched him for a moment, "I'm not so sure." Andrea patted his shoulder one last time but thankfully left it at that.

"They booked you all night for the Group Room," he said. He winked. "Give them the time of their lives."

Despite his nerves, Cloud cracked a smile. "Yes, sir."

The Group Room made him pause and blink when he opened the door. He'd never had cause to use it as he rarely accepted private sessions and _never_ entertained more than one person at a time, but the sheer size of the bed was so large it verged on comical. Perfectly round and draped in smooth red fabric, it easily took up most of the space, sparing only a small corner for a bedside dresser that he knew would be fully stocked, as well as a small, one-person sized bath for the more hygienic guests.

Zack and Sephiroth had been sitting on the edge, talking quietly, but looked up at his entrance. 

"Huh." Cloud let the door swing shut as he considered them. "You're still here. Figured you would have given up by now."

"SOLDIERs don't give up," Sephiroth said mildly, and the way he was staring straight at Cloud reminded him acutely of _exactly_ how much stamina a SOLDIER truly had. 

He crossed his arms, tugged on his hair. "So...how do you wanna do this?"

"OH! OH! Me first! Dibs!" And then Zack hopped up, swept Cloud in his arms, and kissed him like he'd been waiting all night to do so.

Cloud jerked, surprised, but sank into it a moment later, unable to resist Zack's eagerness, how he instantly changed the mood in the room from a lingering almost-tension to arousal and excitement. He nearly bent Cloud in _half_ from the force, keeping Cloud pressed against him, and even when he pulled back he placed a few lingering pecks on his lips like he couldn't hold back.

"Zack," Sephiroth murmured, so close Cloud resigned himself to several heart attacks for the remainder of the night. "You have to _share,_ remember?"

"Ah," Zack pulled back, a rueful smile on his face as he looked at Sephiroth from over Cloud's shoulder. "Sorry, sorry." And then Sephiroth tilted Cloud's head to the side, up, and then he tried his best to steal the air from Cloud's lungs, hand curled around Cloud's cheek and thumb caressing the skin there in languid sweeps.

He picked Cloud up in the next minute, not bothering to part their lips, and sat him on the edge of the bed, hands splayed on either side of Cloud's hips as he pressed forward and the kiss grew longer, hotter.

"Hey!" 

Sephiroth pulled away and Cloud gasped for air audibly enough he wanted to cover his face with his hands. Sephiroth's smirk was smug.

"You'll have to be faster than that, Fair." Zack scowled.

"Are you guys really sure about this?" At their looks, Cloud shrugged. "It's a hell of a leap in a friendship..."

 _"Well,"_ Zack took a seat next to Cloud, expression thoughtful. "This _really_ isn't how I thought tonight would go," he said with some irony that was lost on Cloud. Sephiroth, however, smiled and the sight seemed to encourage Zack. "But I'm okay with it. I just..." He rubbed his arm. "I know how hard it for Sephiroth to get this kind of...attention and actually enjoy it. I don't want to be the reason he can't have something he wants," he said sincerely.

"Zack..." Sephiroth didn't speak for a moment, lost for words. He met first Zack's eyes, then Cloud's. "I feel similarly. I trust Zack implicitly," he said slowly, like he was trying to put the _exact_ right words to his feelings. "And I can't deny a sympathy for him, as well. After all," and here his smirk re-appeared, became a little more knowing, "I'm very familiar with wanting to be with you, Cloud. You're quite irresistible."

"Jeez," Cloud muttered, covering the lower part of his face with a hand. 

Zack chuckled and scooted closer. He pulled Cloud's hand away from his face and kissed him, slow and coaxing, tongue parting his lips to taste. Sephiroth was there right after, shifting closer so he could duck his head and run his lips over Cloud's neck, pressing light, warm kisses up and down the length of it.

They were barely doing anything and Cloud felt ready to melt. 

"You know he likes compliments, right?" Zack said, and Cloud flushed hot, mortified. 

"What—I _don't—_ "

Sephiroth studied his blush. A little smile formed on his lips; it didn't bode well. 

"Really?" he asked slowly, voice like honey. "Is that true, Cloud?" He curled his fingers around his forearms so he could press his words to the inside of Cloud's wrists. His green eyes kept him pinned. "There's nothing to be ashamed of," he soothed, lips hot over his pulse point. "You're exquisite. There's nothing wrong in wanting to hear it."

He couldn't even form _words,_ let alone a defense. They were just— _wrong._ Cloud's didn't—he wasn't—

"I don't—" His face was _boiling._ Those smirks, those eyes carefully watching his every move—maybe Sephiroth had been right to ask him if he was sure. "I never—"

Zack cut him off with another kiss. "We don't mind tellin' you you're pretty, babe. We wanna."

Cloud couldn't get away; ducked his head, pressed his cheek against his shoulder.

"Stop," he muttered. He had a feeling he was going to be ignored. 

"He's sensitive here," Sephiroth said. He'd removed his gloves so it was just bare skin on bare skin as he ran his palms along Cloud's thighs, parted his legs so he could rub where he was soft and smooth. 

Cloud shivered, betrayed by his body, and Zack made an inquisitive noise. He shifted so Cloud could lean back on his chest, chin hooked over Cloud's shoulder as he continued to speak to Sephiroth. He kept a hand flat on his stomach and slipped it beneath his shirt, running his hand over firm abs and over his chest, where his heart was racing madly.

"Huh. Yeah, he likes it all right, just look at him."

That made it even worse. Knowing they were watching him, all but comparing notes on how best to unravel him—

_What did I get myself into?_

Zack 's hand went lower and when he rubbed over where Cloud was hard he couldn't choke back a sigh, the sound a quick, desperate whine. 

"Dibs," Sephiroth said suddenly, the words sounding slightly stilted coming from such a serious, monotone voice. He batted Zack's hand away and wasted no time sliding Cloud out of his shorts. He pushed himself into the space between his legs and Cloud was bared before them, dick lewdly arched upwards in clear desire.

"Fuck, that's hot," Zack said, mouthing at Cloud's neck. When Sephiroth took him in his mouth, Zack groaned into Cloud's ear, rivaling Cloud's own cry for volume. As Cloud gasped and twitched, muscles jumping underneath Zack's hands, those large fingers trailed up his chest, found his nipples, and started pinching.

 _"Ngh—!"_ Closing his eyes was the only form of protection he had. Between Zack's hot breath in his ear, his hands on his body, and Sephiroth's mouth on him, green eyes looking straight up and unblinking, he didn't have a choice. It was close his eyes to the sight, or come _ridiculously_ fast.

Zack seemed content to just watch, but Cloud had other plans. He reached back and gripped a handful of hair, tugged lightly and shivered against the dual sensations of Sephiroth's tongue and Zack's groan vibrating through the skin of his neck.

"I'm not gonna last long if you guys keep this up." 

"Okay," Zack grunted, tweaking a nipple. Cloud's stomach jumped.

"You—" His breath hitched at a particularly languid lick. He tilted his head, enough so he could catch Zack's eye. "You don't wanna fuck me?"

 _"Fuck,"_ Zack pressed his forehead into the crook of Cloud's neck. "Okay, you win."

With some encouragement from Cloud's impatient hands, he got them to strip, so when Zack held him up, pressed him against Sephiroth's chest so that Cloud was pressed flush between them, there wasn't anything left to separate them. 

Zack took his time fingering Cloud open and he couldn't do much more than twitch and moan and take it as Sephiroth kept his head angled up, swallowing each moan and cry straight from the source. There was that same possessive glint in his eyes that Cloud recognized from last week, the one that made him feel _seen_ in a way he hadn't been in his entire life. It was as terrifying as it was hot. 

Cloud's eyes flew open when Zack finally pressed in, a long, slow stretched that made him go rigid. Sephiroth watched him through it all, lips parted, seeming _fascinated._ His long fingers ran up the side of his abused neck and partially into the hair at his nape, cradling Cloud's face as he kissed him with relish and savored every noise that left his lips and licked into his mouth like he planned to map every inch of it

 _"Sweet Gaia,"_ Zack groaned, grip bruising at Cloud's hips. "Why are you so perfect?"

At first there was only Zack, slowly driving Cloud crazy with his careful thrusts, only Sephiroth stealing what breath he had left, green eyes devouring his own. Then, to both of their surprise, Sephiroth reached out, past Cloud, and closed a firm grip around _Zack's_ hips, stopping him. 

"Stay right there," Sephiroth ordered, and Cloud could feel Zack lock up behind him, almost as if on instinct. Then he didn't think about _anything_ because Sephiroth grabbed _his_ hips a second later and pulled Cloud almost completely off before slamming him back on Zack's dick— _hard._

They both cried out but Sephiroth didn't stop, thrusting Cloud back on Zack over and over again at a rough, break-neck pace. 

"Cloud likes it hard the first time," Sephiroth said, voice low and dark and behind him, Zack sounded _wrecked,_ hands flying up to grab Cloud's waist tightly, like he was holding on for dear _life._

"Oh, _sh-i-i-i-t!"_ he hissed.

Cloud only lasted seconds before he was coming, clutching Sephiroth's shoulders for something to anchor him amidst the pleasure. Behind him, Zack made a choked-off noise before he came, too, pulsing and hot and the wet sensation growing between Cloud's legs that made him want to kick himself.

 _I forgot the **fucking** condom again._ It was like he was _new_ or something. There was _definitely_ going to have to be a talk in the near future about that ignored drawer in the room, but that was for a later Cloud. A Cloud that wasn't getting fucked out of his mind, sandwiched between two super soldiers. Besides, from the way they acted, Cloud somehow doubted he needed to worry about STDs.

Sephiroth was merciless. He seemed determined to milk Zack dry, still forcing Cloud back onto him until Zack finally collapsed back on the bed. Cloud had no choice but to follow him, limp, and they laid there for a few precious moments, just trying to _breathe._

But the moment Cloud felt steady enough, he surged back up. He caught a glimpse of Sephiroth's surprised expression before he knocked him down flat on his back and moved up his body until he was straddling his chest. 

"Not done yet," he panted. Zack was there instantly, that same reassuring wall at his back. He was glaring at Sephiroth.

"That was a real dick move, Sephiroth," he scolded. "Shiva, I thought I was gonna _die."_

Repentant was the furthest thing on Sephiroth's mind, going by his look of satisfaction.

"My apologies," he murmured insincerely, eyes tracing over Cloud's come-splattered stomach, Zack's hands as they revisited his nipples and made him jolt.

Zack pressed a kiss to Cloud's shoulder. "I really want to wipe that smug look off his face," he said darkly.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. Me too."

"You see what I have to put up with, Cloud?" Zack started nibbling at his neck, making him gasp. "Now you see the truth; Sephiroth's a _bully_ ," and then his bite was harder, bruising and sucking, and Cloud jerked, eyes slipping closed for a brief moment.

Below them, hunger was plain on Sephiroth's face as he watched and his eyes seemed to swallow them, cataloging every touch Zack swept across Cloud's body, visibly affected by every gasp and moan and lick of the lips. His dick was flushed angrily, enough to look painful.

Zack noticed it, too.

"He likes that," he observed. He licked the latest bruise he left, reached down to fondle Cloud's limp dick and balls. 

_"Nn—"_ Cloud clamped his mouth closed, pressed a hand against his lips to stifle it. It felt nearly unbelievable that he was slowly but surely getting hard again, although he knew he wouldn't be able to come so hard again.

"No, don't do that," and Zack forced his hand away, "He likes it when you're loud, ain't that right, Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth didn't need to say a word. His weeping dick and burning eyes more than spoke for him. Cloud really must have been affecting him if he was going nonverbal again.

But asking Cloud to moan on purpose? That felt beyond him. He clammed up, shook through some of Zack's more lingering touches.

"Hm. Looks like I'm gonna have to _make_ you loud."

It was awful. It was _torture._ Zack used Sephiroth's own move against him, forced Sephiroth to just lean back and watch as he helped Cloud get positioned and set the pace _he_ wanted, a slow drag of skin on skin that got Cloud all the way back to full hardness and made Sephiroth clench his hands in the sheets so tightly he ended up ripping them. All the while Zack whispered the _filthiest_ things in his ear, about how he looked, how his hole was so greedy and wet just enough from Zack's own cum and how he was _so jealous_ of Sephiroth in that moment because there was nothing better than being inside Cloud and how he couldn't _wait_ to get back in. 

Cloud was already crying out against his will, wanton and shameless-sounding, but then Zack reached down, started jerking him off, and all control went out the window. He wasn't even sure what he was _saying,_ he was only reaction, only pushed quicker towards the edge by the peeks he got of Sephiroth's face as he rode him, by Zack's touch and his words, horrifyingly embarrassing and so, _so_ hot. 

Sephiroth came first, the sight of Cloud, the feel, and Zack driving those sounds out of him proving to be a wicked combination. As Cloud took everything Sephiroth had, Zack wasted no time jerking him off at such a sudden, rapid speed that Cloud managed another spurt of hot, sticky cum—although a second round in as many minutes meant it was a pathetic dribble and was barely even noticeable compared to the spend that already coated his stomach.

Cloud went boneless. Zack helped to guide his fall and he sagged against Sephiroth's chest and felt warmth along his back a second later—Zack, coming to rest atop them both. It left Cloud stuck between them, sweaty and sticky and very gross, but at the moment, he didn't give a shit. Maybe once the afterglow faded, he'd wrestle himself free to use the private bath.

In the quiet, there was only the sound of their panting, the whisper of hands as they reached out and stroked whatever skin was near, of sighs and low groans when bodies shifted and sore muscles were suddenly screaming for attention.

"Holy shit," Cloud managed, voice raw from yelling. 

"...Indeed," Sephiroth panted.

"Here, here," Zack agreed. 

Cloud had no words, so he didn't bother finding them. He'd expected a lot of things out of tonight, but an actual, working, _amazing_ threesome hadn't made the list. He was absolutely ruined for anyone else, he realized mournfully. 

He pressed a thankful kiss to Sephiroth's chest, felt Zack mirror it on his own shoulder a moment later, and sighed. Even still, it was hard to regret great sex.

"So..." Cloud started once he trusted himself to speak. "You guys, like, over it now?"

"Over what?" Zack mumbled into his shoulder while Sephiroth made an inquisitive noise.

"Over me," he clarified. 

Two firm bodies went rigid above and beneath him.

"Not a chance," Zack said passionately, pressing another kiss to his flushed skin. Sephiroth tightened his grip around Cloud's waist.

"Never."

In the relative safety of them being unable to see his face, Cloud tried—and failed—to smother a smile.

"Damn."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there's ever an opportunity to shoe-horn in the found family trope with Denzel, rest assured, I WILL do it. EVERY TIME.
> 
> So, questions? Comments?? Concerns??? If it wasn't obvious, I've never written a threesome before, so I would LOVE some feedback on anything I can change to make it flow smoother or pointers. Thank you so much for reading! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
> 
> Story title from [Strobelite.](https://youtu.be/DAXjiVuzlPw)


End file.
